Harminder Singh is the main accused in the Shingar cinema house blast case. Six persons were killed and 25 injured in the blast on
October 14, 2007

GND varsity examination centre scrapped
Amritsar, March 20
In a damage control exercise, authorities of Guru Nanak Dev University today scrapped an examination centre after it was found that mass copying was being done there.

Mattewal to give views on March 25
Ludhiana, March 20
Even as the state Assembly is seeking legal approval for a proposal to withdraw vendetta cases against members of the House, Advocate-General, Punjab, HS Mattewal today said the courts were the ultimate authority in the matter.

HS Mattewal

BSF plans change in patrolling strategy
Jalalabad, March 20
Following the gunning down of one Pakistan national along the the Indo-Pak border on March 17, the Border Security Force (BSF) has started contemplating to change its strategy in regard to patrolling and deployment of jawans alongside the fencing wire.

Female
foeticide: Health Dept adopts religious course
Bathinda, March 20
The state health authorities have taken religious route to tackle the issue of female
foeticide. With the Navratras going on, the health authorities have asked civil surgeons to display banners at religious and other public places to disseminate message against the social evil.

Choked drains, sewers bane of Nabha
Nabha, March 20
It may rain or not, but many areas of this town always remain waterlogged throughout the year. The five gates encircling the town - Patiala Gate, Alhoran Gate, Dulladi Gate, Boran Gate and Mehs Gate - narrate the story of utter callousness on part of the local Municipal Council. The colonies around these gates and the old city are filled with heaps of garbage, choked drains and marshy streets.

Activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad burn an effigy of the Orissa Government in Amritsar on Saturday in protest against the arrest of parishad leader Praveen Togadia. A Tribune photograph

Recruitment of cops on April 1
Jalandhar, March 20
Recruitment of male constables for the state police and the Punjab Armed police will be held on April 1 across the state.
According to the information from office of the IG (Zonal II), Jalandhar, all candidates whose applications have been found in order should report at recruitment venues at 8 am. Those reaching after 10 am will be denied entry and their candidature will be rejected.

Offices of dist attorneys to be computerised
Chandigarh, March 20
The Punjab government would computerise offices of district attorneys for quick disposal of judicial and administrative work.
Besides, 28 more posts of Assistant District Attorneys would be filled soon, said Upinderjit
Kaur, Education and Justice Minister here today.

3 honoured for tracing missing kids
Amritsar, March 20
The police investigation has found that the five kids, who were traced after 32 hours, went missing as they had lost their way to home. Police Commissioner, Varinder Kumar said the investigating team found the children had gone away from their locality to savour meals at a community kitchen.

Police Commissioner Varinder Kumar (left) honours two residents of Bal Kallan village in Amritsar on Saturday. A Tribune photograph

Illegal Sale of Drugs
Health officials hand in glove with chemists
Sangrur, March 20
Many young boys and girls are taking to synthetic dugs as health authorities have failed to keep a check on their illegal sale.
Even the health officials seem to be hand in glove with the drug store owners who are selling the drugs without prescription and keeping more than the allowed limits.

Life in Pak miserable; won’t go back: Hindu families
Jalandhar, March 20
Ashok Kumar does not want to return to Pakistan. Similar is the case of Rattan Lal. There are several others, who came here on valid visa in late 1990s but do not want to return to their native land.

Withdrawal of Vendetta Cases
First legal opinion, then action: Kahlon
Bathinda, March 20
Terming the move to withdraw vendetta-based criminal cases against politicians as a constructive one, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon today said: “Vendetta politics, which is an ill-fated custom of state politics, was initiated during the previous Congress regime but it is yet to die down.” Kahlon himself is facing a graft case related to alleged irregularities in the appointment of panchayat secretaries.

A student of Government Rajindra College, Bathinda, receives his degree from Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon at the convocation held on the premises of the institution
on Saturday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Jahangir’s Aam Khas to don new look
Sirhind, March 20
The Centre has sanctioned Rs 1.75 crore for the renovation of ancient Aam Khas
Bagh, which was built by Mughal Emperor Jahangir in the 16th century. Aam Khas
Bagh, spread across 42 acres, had been dilapidating for the last few years as most of its buildings are too weak to bear their own weight. The sanctioned money has been deposited to the Archaeological Survey of India.

Bhagat Singh Museum: HC upholds land acquisition
Chandigarh, March 20
Legal hurdles in way of constructing “Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh Museum” at Khatkar Kalan village have been cleared, with the Punjab and Haryana High Court upholding the land acquisition proceedings.

Patiala, March 20
The Punjab Police has confirmed the presence of two dreaded terrorists, Harminder Singh and Bakhshish Singh aka Baba, in the state.

Bakhshish Singh is the prime accused in the attack on the convoy of the chief of
Dera Sacha Sauda and
recent planting of explosives across the state

While Harminder is the main accused in the Shingar cinema hall blast case, Bakhshish is the prime accused in the attack on the convoy of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and recent planting of explosives in various parts of the state.

After getting the inputs from the intelligence agencies, the police has initiated an operation to nab them. The police has also announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh on them. Patiala Range IG Paramjit Singh Gill has confirmed the presence of both terrorists in the state.

“These terrorists have been spotted in Ludhiana, SAS Nagar, Moga, Ferozepur and Patiala. Subsequently, police officials of the respective districts have been alerted. We have also given advertisements with photographs of both terrorists in the newspapers and reward of Rs 5 lakh would be given for their arrest”, senior police officers said.

Notably, six persons were killed and 25 injured in a bomb blast that rocked the Shingar cinema hall in Ludhiana on October 14, 2007. Though the police claimed to have solved the case with the arrest of four activists of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), main accused Harminder is still absconding.

Interestingly, after the blast, one of the then Ludhiana SP had rounded up Harminder but was later released after questioning him. A few days later, cops established that Harminder was the mastermind in the Shingar blast case. Subsequently, he was declared proclaimed offender.

Meanwhile, there are 28 cases pending against Bakhshish in Punjab, Haryana, UP and Delhi. “Besides the attack on Dera chief’s convoy, Bakhshish is also accused of planting IEDs at Gas Bottling Plant, Nabha and Air Base Station, Halwara. His main objective is to become the head of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) by reviving it through series of bomb blasts,” said a senior police officer.

Amritsar, March 20
In a damage control exercise, authorities of Guru Nanak Dev University today scrapped an examination centre after it was found that mass copying was being done there.

On a tip-off, special flying squad of the GND varsity led by Vice-Chancellor AS Brar today raided Guru Nanak Government College, Kaala Afgana, where the BA-I examination in the subjects of history, psychology, maths and stats was scheduled.

The team found that the students were copying answers from guide books and also using other helping material without any fear and hurdle. Apparently, the college staff was helping the students.

The VC immediately ordered scrapping of the centre. The schedule for rest of the papers has been shifted to another place.

Dr RK Bedi, Professor in charge (examinations), said all papers being conducted in the centre would stand cancelled and rest of the examinations of BA-I would now be held at Khalsa College, Amritsar, from March 22.

“We got the information that mass copying was being done at Kaal Afgana government school in connivance with the staff on duty. Acting on it, a special team today raided the school and found that information was correct,” he said.

Two colleges at Pathankot - SD College and AT College - too came under scanner when four cases of cheating were reported from there today. An unfair means case has been registered against the erring students and they would be barred for three years from appearing in the examination,” Bedi said.

Ludhiana, March 20
Even as the state Assembly is seeking legal approval for a proposal to withdraw vendetta cases against members of the House, Advocate-General, Punjab, HS Mattewal today said the courts were the ultimate authority in the matter.

Mattewal was in the city today to address a convocation of Guru Nanak Girls College. Talking to The Tribune he said the law had a solution to every problem but when cases were in courts, the authority for withdrawal lay with the judges.

Without expressing his stand clearly, the Advocate-General said,”Everything is possible.”

He said he would submit his legal opinion to the House on March 25 and would not like to leak it to the media before that.

Stating that the House was a supreme body and its proposal would mean a lot, Mattewal said he would prepare his legal opinion on the basis of a written proposal by the Speaker of the Assembly.

“I had got a call from the Speaker to know my legal opinion but I requested him to write about the entire matter to me so that I could understand all provisions and give an opinion accordingly,” he said.

He repeatedly said that since the report was sought by the House, it would not be proper to leak it beforehand. “It is just a matter of five days now. Everything will be clear.”

Jalalabad, March 20
Following the gunning down of one Pakistan national along the the Indo-Pak border on March 17, the Border Security Force (BSF) has started contemplating to change its strategy in regard to patrolling and deployment of jawans alongside the fencing wire.

Official sources said what had made the BSF authorities to change its strategy was the fact that the Pakistani national came close to fencing wire and started firing on the jawans with AK-47 assault rifle.

A team of BSF officials gunned him down and seized 26 kg of heroin, fake currency amounting to Rs 18 lakh and a pistol from the spot.

“The use of AK-47 rifle and firing at the BSF officials by Pakistani national and that too from close of fencing wire has been witnessed perhaps for the first time ever since cobra fencing has been erected alongside the border and this
development does deserve application of minds to prevent its recurrence,” pointed out Vimal Satyarthi, DIG, BSF, Abohar Sector, adding it was perhaps the biggest seizure made by the BSF in the state
and it couldn’t be ignored as routine incident.

The DIG disclosed he had recommended names of nine officials, including jawans, for gallantry medals for their rare achievement. These officials and jawans while risking their lives braved firing by Pakistani nationals for about 20 minutes and gunned down one of the intruders.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Rangers had refused to take the body of the intruder gunned down by the BSF official back. During the flag meeting of company commanders of the BSF and Pakistan rangers, the latter claimed that deceased was not national of their country.

The police authorities concerned performed the last rites of the deceased .

Bathinda, March 20
The state health authorities have taken religious route to tackle the issue of female foeticide. With the Navratras going on, the health authorities have asked civil surgeons to display banners at religious and other public places to disseminate message against the social evil.

Bathinda district health authorities have been directed to prepare 25 such banners. An e-mail in this regard has been received by Bathinda civil surgeon Neelam Bajaj.

Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla has also asked the civil surgeon to prepare flex boards and launch a campaign against female foeticide during the ongoing Navratras.

Bajaj said the slogans were being used to disseminate the message in a big way as it puts an impact on the minds of the masses due to the religious sanctity attached to it. She said the department would also provide special funds to the district health offices for preparing and displaying such banners.

The banners have been displayed in Maisarkhana village on the Bathinda-Mansa road as many come there to pay obeisance during the Navratras.

Chandigarh, March 20
Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Satpal Gosain by writing a single-page letter to Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon suggesting the withdrawal of cases of political vendetta has stirred a hornet’s nest.

Bir Devinder Singh

And the cases he mentioned in his three-paragraph letter of March 11 are those involving Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Minister Ajit Singh Kohar and two former Chief Ministers --- Capt Amarinder Singh and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal. The list understandably is not exhaustive.

Though the letter does not distinguish between cases of corruption and those of political vendetta, mention of some specific cases against top politicians of the state makes his suggestion loud and clear.

After Amarinder Singh virtually refused to be associated with this move “for creating an atmosphere of goodwill ushering in an era of overall development of the state”, others, too, have joined the debate not only questioning the intentions of the move but also looking at its legalities.

“In a democracy, the legislature, the judiciary and the executive have pre-defined roles to perform.Thus, there is no scope for any ambiguity or any possibility of transgression by one wing into the other.

“The move is fraught with latent dangers, primarily losing the faith of the people whom they elected as their representatives. Nobody will relish the idea of shattering the mechanism of checking corruption by people holding high positions in government. Such a move, if it succeeds, will further paint politicians as untrustworthy,” says former Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Bir Devinder Singh.

Incidentally, Bir Devinder Singh was declared the best parliamentarian of the 12th Vidhan Sabha. He remained MLA for two terms. After his second term, he left the Congress and joined the Shiromani Akali Dal.

“It will not only mean an attempt at blatant transgression into the domain of the judiciary but also strike at the basic fabric of law i.e. equality before law. It will create a new class of the privileged corrupt enjoying immunity from being tried for all kinds crimes, including corruption. While ordinary corrupt persons (non-politicians) would face the courts of law for similar crimes, the politicians could well be put off the hook of law as a result of this sinister move,” he argues.

He says that even the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Rule 39 governing the admissibility of a question before the House does not permit an expression of a legal opinion nor the solution of an abstract legal question of a hypothetical proposition besides prohibiting seeking of information on any mater that is under adjudication by a court of law having jurisdiction in any part of India. “In my personal opinion, the House certainly has the power to review its decision on the expulsion of Capt Amarinder Singh for the remaining period of the present Vidhan Sabha provided it feels in its collective wisdom that the quantum of punishment given to him was excessive.

“However, even this p move has its own repercussions because the issue is pending before the Supreme Court.,” adds Bir Devinder Singh.

Nabha, March 20
It may rain or not, but many areas of this town always remain waterlogged throughout the year. The five gates encircling the town - Patiala Gate, Alhoran Gate, Dulladi Gate, Boran Gate and Mehs Gate - narrate the story of utter callousness on part of the local Municipal Council. The colonies around these gates and the old city are filled with heaps of garbage, choked drains and marshy streets.

The road from the old Subzi Mandi to Boran gate is full of potholes and its stretch near hospital is waterlogged.

Residents of Hira Mahal, the biggest colony of this town, complained that the MC had dismantled many streets altogether and had not completed constructing even one new street.

Similarly, the stretch between Grid Chowk and Nabha Cantt has been waterlogged for the past many months. The water from Deshmesh and Friends Colony around this road and small-time factories has no outlet.

The residents of these colonies said the stagnant water provides breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other poisonous insects.

The colonies around Boran Gate and Mehs Gate, like Krishna Puri, Ranjit Nagar, Basant Pura, Guru Nanak Pura, too, suffer from the same problem due to choked drains. The root cause of the problem is lack of proper cleaning of the drains and choked sewers.

The major cause of flooding during rains is the heavy encroachment on the Barsati Nullah, which has completely vanished from the map of the town, but the MC has done nothing in this regard.

Jalandhar, March 20
Recruitment of male constables for the state police and the Punjab Armed police will be held on April 1 across the state.
According to the information from office of the IG (Zonal II), Jalandhar, all candidates whose applications have been found in order should report at recruitment venues at 8 am. Those reaching after 10 am will be denied entry and their candidature will be rejected.

Chandigarh, March 20
The Punjab government would computerise offices of district attorneys for quick disposal of judicial and administrative work.
Besides, 28 more posts of Assistant District Attorneys would be filled soon, said Upinderjit Kaur, Education and Justice Minister here today.

Speaking on the steps taken by the state government for speedy delivery of justice, the minister said 92 Assistant District Attorneys have already been recruited and 28 more posts of Assistant District Attorneys have also been created. The vacant posts in the Prosecution and Litigation Department would be filled by promotion very soon, she said. —
PTI

Amritsar, March 20
The police investigation has found that the five kids, who were traced after 32 hours, went missing as they had lost their way to home. Police Commissioner, Varinder Kumar said the investigating team found the children had gone away from their locality to savour meals at a community kitchen.

Saqeeb, Sofian, Armaan, his brother Arbaaz and Mukesk, all residents of Devi Nagar, were traced 7-km away from Bal Kallan village late last night.

Kumar felicitated Baldev Singh, Harjit Singh and Jai Parkash, all three from Bal Kallan, for informing the police and assisting in reuniting the kids with their families, by giving commendation certificates to them.The three villagers found the children roaming near the village bus stand and recognised them as as they had seen their pictures on a local TV channel. The five children had gone missing on Thursday.

Sangrur, March 20
Many young boys and girls are taking to synthetic dugs as health authorities have failed to keep a check on their illegal sale.
Even the health officials seem to be hand in glove with the drug store owners who are selling the drugs without prescription and keeping more than the allowed limits.

In Sangrur alone, as per the information got by Dr AS Mann, president, Scientific Awareness Forum, under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, even as the health authorities cancelled the licences of drug store owners many times, they managed to get the licences restored or changed the licensee of the medical stores.

The information also reveals a shocking figure wherein drugs (beyond certain limits) of more than Rs 88 lakh were seized by the health authorities in the last three years.

The information further discloses that in case of Prem Medical Store, the licence authority has cancelled the licence of the store owner six times.

“The licence of the store owner was first cancelled by the authority in 2006 after three type of drugs worth Rs 5,000 were recovered from the store. In 2008 and 2009 also, the licence of the same store was cancelled repeatedly for violating the norms. However, the drug owner continued to sell the synthetic drugs with impunity, making a mockery of the whole system,” the information suggests.

Similarly, in the case of Sidhana Medical Hall, the licence of the store owner was cancelled five times after recovering drugs, once in 2006 and 2008 and three times in 2009.

Drug Inspector Kamal Kamboj, Sangrur, said whatever they could do under law they were doing. “We take steps to maintain check over the sale of drugs to addicts. In many cases, we have also cancelled the licences of the medical shops selling drugs to addicts,” he claimed.

However, Mohan Sharma, project director, Red Cross Drug De-Addiction Centre, said the government must amend the Drugs and Cosmetic Act to make it more stringent.

Jalandhar, March 20
Ashok Kumar does not want to return to Pakistan. Similar is the case of Rattan Lal. There are several others, who came here on valid visa in late 1990s but do not want to return to their native land.

Members of Hindu families from Pakistan living in Jalandhar show documents on the basis of which they have sought Indian citizenship. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

However, their misfortune is that the Government of India is not ready to give citizenship to them and several other Hindu families who have come here from Pakistan. They are living here in different localities for the past one decade or so.

This city is not the only place where Hindu families have arrived from Sialkot and other areas of Pakistan. Such families are living in some other towns also. Male members of these families work mostly in sports goods-making industries. “They have expertise in making footballs and other sports goods,” said an industrialist.

“And they are also very committed workers,” he added. “Even in Sialkot we were employed in sports goods industries,” added Lal.

“We are not treated well in Pakistan. That is the reason for not returning to that land,” said a member of such family. He said at every step they faced discrimination. Their wards encountered all kinds of problems in schools. Entry in the government jobs is very difficult. Most Hindu families have to seek employment in private organisations,” said another member of such family. Even pressure is built to change the religion, he asserted.

“After arriving here in late 1990s, some of us got married here. We also have small children, who are otherwise natural born Indian citizens. But till we get the citizenship, we will feel insecure. We have stayed here for so long that we could not return to Pakistan. We need help as most of us belonged to marginal families,” added a woman member of a family.

“We have applied a number of times to seek citizenship through proper channel to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

“Our applications are returned with some objections or the other,” said Lal. Recently a section of the Home Ministry asked them to send valid and up-to-date passports and permits regarding permission to stay in India beyond September 23, 2006.

Our passports expired and the Pakistan Embassy in Delhi is not prepared to renew them. “Earlier, for some years Pakistan Embassy renewed our passports but it has stopped now. It has told us to return to Pakistan and bring fresh identity cards,” said a family member. However, once we return to Pakistan, we will not be allowed to return to India, he added. “We are caught in a most difficult situation. Earlier, our stay used to be extended by the Indian government but now we face problems in this regard,” he added.

The Deputy Commissioner here had been very sympathetically hearing us and forwarding our cases to the authorities concerned. “But completion of documents is the most difficult task for us,” some members of these families said.

However, a leader of the Hindu Maha Sabha said several thousands of Tibetians, Bangladeshi and others were staying in India. “Likewise, the Union Government should allow permanent stay to Hindu families which have arrived here from Pakistan,” he said. Such families should not be pushed back to Pakistan where they would be targeted.

Bathinda, March 20
Terming the move to withdraw vendetta-based criminal cases against politicians as a constructive one, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon today said: “Vendetta politics, which is an ill-fated custom of state politics, was initiated during the previous Congress regime but it is yet to die down.” Kahlon himself is facing a graft case related to alleged irregularities in the appointment of panchayat secretaries when he was the Rural Development and Panchayat Minister.

He was here to attend a convocation of Government Rajindra College.

Talking to media, the Speaker said: “It has been exposed now that a number of politicians of both the ruling and opposition groups have been facing cases due to political vendetta. Such frivolous cases are wasting the time and money of the state, which could otherwise be utilised for the welfare of the people.

“However, all such cases fall within the purview of the judiciary; so legal opinion will be taken before taking any action.”

On the effect of the move upon the accountability of the politicians, Kahlon said the politicians would always remain accountable for their deeds. “There will be no interference in cases filed with documentary evidence,” he said.

Reacting to the statement of former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh where he refused to receive “charity” of the SAD-BJP government if it offered to withdraw cases against him, Kahlon said: “It is his wish, but if the proposal of withdrawal of cases gets approved, the offer will remain open for him also.”

Sirhind, March 20
The Centre has sanctioned Rs 1.75 crore for the renovation of ancient Aam Khas Bagh, which was built by Mughal Emperor Jahangir in the 16th century.
Aam Khas Bagh, spread across 42 acres, had been dilapidating for the last few years as most of its buildings are too weak to bear their own weight. The sanctioned money has been deposited to the Archaeological Survey of India.

Workers and junior officials at Aam Khas Bagh claimed that in spite of renovating buildings, the grant was being spent on beautification of gardens and parking lots. However, senior officials claimed that the work would be done in a phased manner. The parking area, buildings, security cells, main entrance, well and pond would be given an ancient look.

The authorities concerned have been asked to renovate Daulat Khana, Shahi Imaam and Sard Khana but the senior officials ordered renovation of other areas too. They said there was no budgetary provision for collapsed boundary wall buildings.

“We fear that the entire budget would be exhausted to beautify the parking lot and other rooms that are already intact,” the juniors rued.

Whereas according to the ASI, all buildings could not be renovated in the first phase and dilapidating buildings would be renovated soon under a separate budget.

Sikh soldier Baba Banda Singh Bahadur had destroyed the Bagh during 11 attacks whereas time and anti-social elements had withered it further.

“Even many Hindi and Punjabi movies had been shot at this place,” the officials said. But overtime, the shootings were banned and a restaurant in the vicinity of Bagh was shut down too.

Chandigarh, March 20
Legal hurdles in way of constructing “Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh Museum” at Khatkar Kalan village have been cleared, with the Punjab and Haryana High Court upholding the land acquisition proceedings.

The Division Bench of Justice MM Kumar and Justice Jitendra Chauhan has dismissed a petition filed by Baljit Kaur and others against the proceedings. They had challenged the proceedings initiated with the issuance of notification on February 18 last under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act. The Section 6 of the Act, dated August 25, 2009, was also challenged.

Joint owners of agricultural land proposed to be acquired by the state for constructing the museum, the petitioners had contended the state and other respondents had invoked “urgency provisions” without “deciding their objections and showing any urgency involved”.

The Bench observed: “On February 18, when the matter came up for consideration, counsel for the petitioners raised the issue that after acquisition of land no passage would be available to the petitioners to have an access to their left out land. State counsel was granted time to seek instructions in this regard.

“At the subsequent hearing, a short affidavit on behalf of the state of Punjab and another respondent was filed in the Court. It has been pointed out that the petitioners were owners of 211 kanal at Khatkar Kalan village and by virtue of notifications dated February 18, 2009, and August 25, 2009, 56 kanal 11 marla land belonging to the petitioners has been acquired.

“It has been stated that due to the acquisition, about 24 kanal belonging to the petitioners did not have any passage. Thus, it has been decided to provide about 16-ft-wide passage to the land of the petitioners.

“Counsel for the petitioners has expressed satisfaction over the passage but argued that the left out land is fragmented. The submission appears to be that the land may be acquired in a consolidated manner so as to leave the area that is meant to be used by the petitioners”.